Way to my Destiny
by Lily de Wakabayashi
Summary: Chase Redford has come to Ever After High with a purpose in mind: to find the White Knight who defeated him in Wonderland. One-shot inspired by "Way too Wonderland" TV Special and English version of "Rumbo a mi destino." [Darling x Chase]


**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Ever After High_ and I don´t make any profit with this work.

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**Way to my Destiny.**

Standing in front of the imposing building, he looked inside for the courage and determination he always had but that in those moments threatened to fail him. Which was the real problem? He had fighted against dragons, rival knights and another dangers, but he was trembling at the simple thought of having to go to the high school!

"Remember why you are here," he said with bated breath to cheer up himself. And when he thought about her, recovered his courage.

He, the Red Knight, the Red Queen's foster son, had fighted arduous in Wonderland against the White Knight, in an intense battle in which there would be only one winner. The Red Knight had the assignment to not to allow to anyone to break the rules and, for this reason, he was willing to give everything to fulfill his mission. And he almost won. Almost. At the end, the Red Knight had to recognize the White Knight was superior and that he was defeated in a fair way. That´s not uncommon when you are a gentleman who fights with honor.

But the knight who defeated him turned out to be a princess. A beautiful princess, by the way.

However, who did say the princesses could fight against dragons? Who did say they could use armors, raise swords and fight for other princesses's honor and dignity and face the knigths for those reasons? Nobody, but in this Ever After High's new generation had students who don't follow their preset destinations. And it seemed that Darling Charming was one of them.

Maybe that was one of the reasons for that Chase Redford could not stop to think in Darling Charming. And the fact she defeated him. Never before Chase had faced to a knight with so much potential, courage and determination, which in itself was enough for win Red Knight's respect and admiration. But the fact that he turned out to be a _she_ was a plot twist that not even the Grimm brothers could have foreseen. And the most surprising thing was Darling looked like a fragile and delicate princess! How can she keep that so perfect facade of porcelain doll and, at the same time, fought so bravely as the most beefy of man? This was something that Chase could not understand. And that's why he accepted Lizzie Hearts's invitation to study in Ever After High, only then he could be closer to Darling Charming and know what she was hiding behind her beautiful and angelic smile. And without realizing when exactly it happened, the Red Knight fell in love with the White Knight. Did that justify leaving Wonderland to go to Ever After High? If someone had asked C. A. Cupid, she would have said "yes" by sure.

"Well, here we go," whispered Chase, after crossing the main door.

It was, finally, his first day of school and he couldn't be more nervous because, would Darling want to know more about him? In Wonderland, she was not very impressed about Chase's bravery nor his tough male beauty (although Chase didn't consider himself a prince, in spite of he was so handsome as if he had royal blood), she only treated him as one more rival, one defeated, by the way. How difficult would it be for Chase to try to conquer Darling's heart? It was true that a knight was never afraid of a challenge, but love wars are the most hard to win! Also, she was a princess and he had not royal blood, he was only a orphan adopted by a queen but, isn't it supposed that in fairy tales, is the knight the one who stays with the princess? Who cares if the princess doesn't want to be rescued, Chase could help Darling to turn around her story and so both would go through the fairy tales rescuing the maidens of the dragons! Yes, that was he wanted, fight next to Darling Charming and admire her ferocity closely.

"Don't be nervous, Chase, everyone in Ever After High has treated us very well and we almost felt at home," said Lizzie Hearts when she saw him. "Of course, this isn't the same as being in Wonderland but still we had found real friends here."

"In addition, you can have a lot of fun at their expense," added Kitty Cheshire, showing her huge and sardonic smile.

"And don't forget that you are already free to follow your own destiny," exclaimed Madeline Hatter with joy. "You won't regret to had come!"

Chase was going to answer but he distracted when saw the woman of his dreams was coming towards him. Darling walked with her elegante and graceful step, while laughing and talking with Raven Queen and Rosabella Beauty. Chase felt his mouth dry and his heart started to beat at a thousand per hour, but he knew how put a calm expression on his face.

"It's more difficult when I´m not using my helmet!" he said to himself.

Raven was the first one who saw Chase and greeted him with her hand, in a cheerful gesture that was not consistent with her status as the Evil Queen's daughter. Chase corresponded with the same gesture, although shyly, while waiting for Rosabella to identify who he was (in theory, all Ever After High students were already aware of their arrival). However, Chase definitely wanted Darling to remember him and the battle they kept in Wonderland, he wanted the girl to see and greet him, to show him that he was as present to she as she was to him, but Darling was distracted and not noticed that in front of her was someone who was insistently looking for her gaze.

"Maybe she doesn´t remember me anymore," Chase said to himself, disappointed. "Or maybe I'm not enough important to catch her attention."

But then, it happened: Darling finally looked at him with her beautiful and deep blue eyes, after which she smiled. Chase could see in her eyes that she had recognized him, as well as he saw the subtle presence of another feeling, one that surely Darling also noticed in Chase's eyes and that was like the soft flutter of Cupid's wings, the prelude of an intense love. And the Red Knight felt his heart was full with hope.

"Welcome to Ever After High, Red Knight," said Darling, with her soft voice. "It's a pleasure to have my great rival here."

"I cannot consider myself as your 'great rival' unless I beat you at least once, princess," answered Chase, automatically.

Immediately, he cursed himself. His innate knight instinct had spoken for him and had blocked any chance of approaching Darling in a more normal way. Why was he so idiot? Chase should have told her he was not her rival but one more knight but no, his instinct had betrayed him; now, Darling for sure would see him like another one of the characters obsessed with their fairy tales, one of the many students that can commonly be found in the halls of Ever After High. However, for his surprise, Darling looked at him like if Chase had told her she was the most beautiful woman of all the fairy tales ever written; her cheeks were dyed in red and this surprised Rosabella and Raven.

"I will give you the rematch whenever you want, Red Knight," said Darling, with an excited smile. "I will be enchanted to face you as many times as you want but, please, don't call me 'princess', just tell me Darling."

"Darling," he pronounced her name with so much warmth than the blush of the girl's cheeks increased. "I´m going to call you by your name but, in Exchange, don't tell me 'Red Knight', just call me Chase."

"All right, Chase." His name was heard so soft in Darling's voice than something vibrated very strong in the Red Knight's heart. "See you then in the duel arena."

Chase took her hand and didn´t suppress the desire of kiss it, even though he thought that gesture could bother her; however, Darling smiled again and held Chase's hand, while staring into his eyes. They stayed like this for a few minutes, holding hands and telling each other with their eyes what they still couldn't say with their lips.

"I'm really glad you're here, Chase," said Darling, after several eternal minutes.

"I'm glad as well." Chase had enough aplomb to smile.

"Maybe we could meet later to teach you how to dance," she offered. "If I remember correctly, the last time we saw each other you didn't know how to do it well."

Before Chase could answer, Darling released her hand, looked at him for a few seconds and walking away. Rosabella and Raven looked at each other before following her, outlining smiles of complicity. Chase could not believe in his lucky. Had Darling Charming invited him to a date? It was almost certain that it was, with that girl everything was possible.

Darling turned one last time to look at Chase, who winked mischievously. Suddenly, the day had become much brighter and, as Maddie would say, 'Hat-tastic'. Yeah, Chase definitely did well to attend Ever After High.

**End.**

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**Author's notes.**

This is a translation of my fanfic _'Rumbo a mi Destino',_ which was written in Spanish. I received an anonymous request to translate this story into English and I thought that would be a very good way to keep practicing this language so here we are. I got inspiration from the _'Way too Wonderland' _TV Special to write this one-shot.


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